Letters from The Past- Story Three: My's Alternate Season 4
by Mychand
Summary: Hawke is curious about a mysterious package that Caitlin receives from Texas just before her trip out to see her family. Caitlin is forced to face a past that she would rather forget.
1. Chapter 1

Letters from The Past

Caitlin sat at the small desk at Santini Air and read through some paperwork, filing it in various folders. She was deep in thought when Hawke came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her. He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the cheek.

"Are you ready to go yet?" he asked.

"Give me about fifteen more minutes," she replied. "I promised Dom that I would get all this stuff filed before I left today. What's your hurry?"

Hawke let go of her and walked back around to the opposite side of the desk. "Oh, I'm just looking forward to a little alone time," he replied.

Caitlin smiled. "We've got plenty of time for that. Just hold your horses a few more minutes."

"Not enough time for me," he replied. "Caitlin, you're leaving for Texas tomorrow."

Cait looked up from her paperwork. "Exactly," she said. "That's why Dom wanted me to finish this. But, it's not like I'm going for good. Hawke, I'll only be gone for about a week."

Before he could reply, Dom came in with a stack of mail. "String, will you please leave her alone so she can finish up that paperwork?" he asked.

Caitlin laughed. "I'm almost done, Dom. I just have a couple of things to sort through."

"Good," he said. "Oh, here's a package from your mom."

Dom handed Caitlin a large padded envelope. She quickly took it from him and placed it to the side of the desk while she finished her work.

"Why didn't your mom just give you that when you got to Texas?" asked String.

Caitlin wasn't ready to explain the envelope or its contents to her friends. She tried to play it off as no big deal to avoid further questions. "It's just something that I wanted to look over before I got there," she replied. "Okay, Dom, I'm finished here. Let me get my bag and we're out of here."

Caitlin got up and went to the back room to get her things. "I need to be honest with him," she thought. "Secrets are never good in a relationship."

Dom sorted out the rest of the mail and handed String a couple of small envelopes.

"Did that seem kind of strange to you?" he asked. "She kind of brushed that whole package thing off pretty quick."

"String, quit making something out of nothing," replied Dom. "I'm sure she'll tell you all about it later."

Hawke sighed. "Yeah, you're probably right. It's just that she hasn't said too much about this sudden trip to Texas and why she needs to go."

Dom laughed. "Maybe she misses her mama," he said. "Now that she has a man in her life, her mama doesn't have as much to complain about."

Overhearing the last part of the conversation, Caitlin chimed in. "You've got that right," she said. "Hawke, I have some things to take care of in Texas. I promise I'll explain it all before I leave."

Caitlin picked up the package from the desk and wrapped her hand around one of String's arms. "Come on, let's go," she said. "I'll see you in about a week, Dom."

Hawke flew the two of them up to his cabin. He knew Caitlin had an early flight in the morning and he wanted to get in as much time with her before she left as possible.

As soon as they got in, Caitlin plopped down on the couch and threw the package onto the coffee table in front of her.

"Aren't you going to open that?" Hawke asked.

He was curious about the package but didn't want to seem too pushy about it. Whatever it was, he knew Caitlin was bothered by it. She had been pretty quiet on the trip up to the cabin.

"Well, I guess now is as good as ever," she replied.

Caitlin opened the large padded envelope only to find another smaller brown envelope tucked inside. Hawke noticed that this envelope came from a law office. "I wonder what this is all about?" he thought.

Caitlin's heart was beating fast as she opened the second envelope, and knowingly turned it upside down to dump its contents onto the table. It was six letters, all addressed to Caitlin.

Hawke moved and sat down on the couch beside her. He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to him. "Was this what you were waiting for?" he asked. "Why are you getting letters from a lawyer?"

"It's a long story," she replied. "I hate wasting our last night on all of this but I do think I should tell you about it just in case something happens while I'm in Texas."

Hawke turned and looked at Caitlin. She could see the concern growing in his eyes. She didn't want to worry him but she knew that she had to tell him the truth. "I hope he understands," she thought.

"Caitlin," he said. "If going to Texas is going to put you in some kind of danger, I think I need to come with you."

His words didn't surprise her. She knew he'd be protective of her and although at times, it infuriated her, she appreciated it.

"I'll be fine, Hawke," she replied. "I promise you, if I need you, I'll call. Just promise me that you'll try not to overreact to all this."

String picked up the letters and handed them to her. "Okay, I promise."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Caitlin fumbled with the letters. She couldn't bring herself to open them just yet.

"What's wrong, Cait?" String asked. He could see the struggle in her eyes. He knew her so well sometimes it scared him.

"This is hard," she replied. "It's something that happened a very long time ago."

Noting the lawyer's address, String asked, "Are you in some kind of legal trouble?"

She put her arms around him and pulled Hawke into a kiss. She never wanted to let go. She hugged him tightly before continuing. "No," she replied quietly. "This all started when I was eighteen, just before I went away to college. It's a long story. Are you sure you want to hear it? I mean, there are better things we can do with our time."

Hawke smiled at her. He knew she was trying to stall the conversation. "I know there are but I think this is important. It's early and we have plenty of time."

"Then will you please at least open us a bottle of wine?" she asked.

He couldn't resist the look she gave him. "Okay, I think that's the least I can do," he replied.

She leaned back over and gave him a firm kiss on the lips. "Thanks," she said.

After Hawke brought her a glass of wine, Caitlin pulled her legs up on the couch and sat crossed legged beside him as the fire across from them warmed the room. She thought for a few moments before she began to tell her story.

"It all started back when I was a senior in high school," she said. "Since we lived in a small town, our senior class was only about fifty kids. There were eight of us that hung out. We were inseparable. We did everything together. There were three of us girls, me, my cousin Stacey, and our best friend Laura. The five guys were Dave who was my boyfriend at the time, his best friend Donald and Steve, Paul, and Louie."

"So what does this have to do with those letters?" Hawke asked.

Caitlin smacked Hawke lightly on the shoulder. "If I don't give you the background on all of this, it won't make a lot of sense," she replied. "Give me a chance to finish."

"Okay, okay," he said. "Tell me more about this Dave guy. Just how serious was it?"

Cait took her legs and swung them over Hawke's as she lay back on one side of the couch before continuing.

"Dave was my first serious boyfriend," she replied. "There was a time that I thought we'd be together forever. That was just me being young and dumb, I guess."

"So, what happened?" Hawke asked.

"Senior graduation happened," she replied. "As I said, we were all inseparable. Dave and Donald were really close friends. They were very competitive and always tried to outdo each other. Donald was a bit jealous of me and Dave so to one up him, he managed to get us this cool lake house to stay in on graduation night."

Caitlin paused a moment as her mind drifted back to that night. "It was fun, at first," she said. "Louie's uncle worked at a convenience store and he was able to get us quite a bit of beer. We all got pretty drunk and went swimming. I have no idea what time it was when we passed out. Things after that got a little fuzzy."

Hawke noticed that Caitlin's face was turning pale. "Cait, are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, just give me a minute," she replied. "This is hard. I haven't talked about that night in all these years."

String began massaging her legs that were still across his. Then he reached over and pulled her rear onto his lap. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. "Thanks," she said as she hugged him tightly.

"No matter what," he said. "You're always safe with me Cait."

Caitlin smiled. "I know," she replied.

A few minutes later she continued her story. "When we all got up the next day, Donald was missing. We looked all around the house for what seemed like an eternity before we heard the scream. Stacey had found him," she said as tears began to run down her face. "He was hanging from a tree in the back of the house."

"He committed suicide?" asked Hawke.

"That's what the official ruling was," she responded. "The thing is we all found that hard to believe. He had so much going for him. He had been accepted into three major schools on a full scholarship. There was just no reason for him to do that."

String picked up the letters and noticed that each envelope contained Caitlin's name in different hand writings. "So, what do these letters have to do with Donald's suicide?" he asked.

"The letters were my idea. We all gave statements to the police but I always felt that somehow they missed something," she replied. "I was already studying criminology so I got this idea that everyone should write down everything they remembered about that night in a letter to each of us. I told them all that we'd use it to honor him in the future and it could help us to get over what happened as well as maybe understand why he did it."

"You thought that maybe somebody would slip up and say something that was out of the ordinary?" he asked.

"Exactly," she replied. "I was young and still a bit naïve but I knew something wasn't right. I felt bad thinking that one of my friends could be responsible for his death, but I just couldn't let it go."

String reached over and grabbed the bottle of wine to refill their glasses. "Okay, that explains the letters but where have these letters been and why open them now?" he asked.

Caitlin continued. "Stacey's mom, my aunt Sylvia has worked for that law firm for as long as I can remember," she said. "We told her that the letters were a way of assuring we'd all stay together. So, the letters were given to the lawyer and placed in vault until at least four of the seven of us requested they be removed."

"Why request them now?" he asked.

"We decided that whatever we did, it had to be after Donald's parents passed away," she replied. "We didn't want them to hear about it or to cause them anymore pain. His dad died a few years later and well, his mom just passed two weeks ago. So, it was time."

"So all seven of you will be meeting and discussing the letters?" Hawke asked.

Caitlin sighed. "There are just five of us left now," she replied. "Laura and Louie were married not long after high school. They were killed in a car crash. She was six months pregnant. Their letters are still here though."

Hawke pulled Caitlin into a hug. He knew how painful this was for her and he felt honored that she trusted him enough to share her story with him. "Are you meeting at the lake house?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied. "We are. I'm hoping that reading the letters will help me find an answer. I don't want any of my friends to be guilty of murder, but if they aren't then I want some explanation as to why someone who has so much going for him would just up and kill himself."

"Don't get your hopes up Cait," String said. "Suicide never makes any sense."

"I know," she replied. "I knew when I suggested writing the letters that it was a long shot anything would come of it. But, Donald was a great guy and I felt we owed that to him."

Caitlin still hesitated to open the letters. "I don't know why this is so hard," she said. "I've wanted to find the truth for so long."

"Cait, let me help you," said Hawke. "Let me go with you for support and help you figured out the letters. Maybe an outside view would help."

String was surprised by her answer. "Honestly, Hawke, I was hoping you'd say that," she replied. "I know I said I'd call you if I needed you, but I don't want to do this on my own."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Caitlin sat on the floor in front of the couch with the opened letters beside her. String was behind her on the couch, gently massaging her shoulders. She had read each one and passed it on to him to read. Afterwards, she sat there, thinking about what she'd read and trying to make sense of it all.

"Relax, Cait," Hawke insisted. "Your shoulders feel tight. You're not going to help anything by getting all worked up about this."

"I know," she replied. "I don't know what I expected from these. We were only eighteen years old and it's pretty obvious we all were a bit naïve."

String leaned over and kissed her neck before continuing to massage her shoulders. Caitlin took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She felt lucky to finally have Hawke in her life and she was enjoying the attention she was getting from him. She was also very thankful that he was taking this trip to Texas with her in the morning.

"Cait, I don't want to upset you, but don't you think that based on these letters your ex-boyfriend has some explaining to do?"

Caitlin got up from the floor and moved to sit beside Hawke on the couch. He put his arms around her and pulled her close to him.

"Hawke," she replied. "I know that everyone mentioned in the letters that Dave had gotten into a big argument with Donald that evening, but that doesn't make him a killer. What I don't get is why I didn't know about this before. No one ever told me about it, not even Stacey."

"Maybe it had something to do with you?" Hawke replied. "Or, just as you said, they were best friends so no one ever thought there was a connection."

Caitlin sighed, "I just keep thinking that maybe that argument is what pushed Donald over the edge." She said. "I don't know. All these years I thought his death was murder, now I'm just not sure."

"Are you sure you're not saying that just because this seems to point to Dave?" Hawke asked. "He was your boyfriend and you did care about him. It's hard to believe that someone you cared so much about could do something so bad."

Caitlin gave String a defeated look. "Yeah, well as you know, my track record with men hasn't been so good when it comes to them doing bad things." She said. "Dave was my first love. So, yeah, It is hard to think of him doing anything like that."

Hawke smiled. "Well, you don't have to worry about your track record when it comes to me," he said.

Caitlin laughed. "Yeah, I just have to worry about you being Mr. Moody!"

"Hey, I'm working on it," he replied. "Besides, with you by my side, I've had very little to be moody about. Except," he paused. "I would really love to get upstairs soon or I might turn into Mr. Cranky!"

"Oh, we're a comedian now, are we?" asked Caitlin. "Okay, give me ten more minutes and we'll go up."

Caitlin picked up the letters again and skimmed the contents. Some were bittersweet. Laura and Louie both wrote about how they became a couple that night. Others mentioned the same thing and how excited everyone was about graduating. The fact that they all wrote about that fight between Donald and Dave confused her. No one explained the reason behind it. "Why?" she thought. "Why didn't one person mention what the fight was actually about?"

After a few minutes, Hawke spoke up. "Cait, what happened between you and Dave? Why did you two break up?" he asked.

"It's a long story,' she replied. "But the gist of it was that we were both going to college at opposite ends of the country and I didn't want a long distance relationship."

"So, you broke it off?" he asked.

"Yeah, and he didn't take it so well. He wanted me to follow him off the college and get married," she said. "I wanted freedom and a chance to be out on my own. I haven't spoken to him since the day I left for college. Stacey said that he is still bitter about it after all these years. But, I still don't believe he had anything to do with Donald's death. He took that really hard."

"It must have been pretty rough for him to lose his best friend and his girlfriend all at once," he replied.

"It was," Cait said. "He went off the college and spent more time partying than studying. He eventually lost his scholarship and had to come home to work at his dad's business."

Hawke stood up and pulled Caitlin to her feet. "Come on, enough depressing thoughts for the evening," he said. "I would like to enjoy some quality time with you before the night's over."

Caitlin laughed, "Race you to the top!" she said as she dashed towards the stairs.

String ran after her and grabbed her from behind, encircling both arms around her waist.

"No fair," she yelled. "That's cheating."

They both laughed as he turned her around and kissed her so passionately that she could hardly breathe. "Okay, you're forgiven," she said.

String smiled. "I thought that would do the trick," he said as he picked her up and carried her to the loft.


	4. Chapter 4

_Thanks so much for the reviews. I thought a little murder mystery and a lot of String and Cait would make a good story. Although, I'm sure Dom and Airwolf will make an appearance soon enough. :o)_

Chapter 4

The next morning String and Caitlin flew out to Texas. They rented a car and met up with Stacey before heading out to the lake house. As Hawke helped to put Stacey's suitcase in the trunk, she couldn't help but pull Caitlin aside to talk to her.

"I can see why you didn't come back to Florida," she said. "If I had a man that good looking, I wouldn't leave either."

Caitlin blushed. "Believe me, there's more to him than his looks," she replied. "That's just a bonus."

The two cousins started laughing as Hawke slid into the car behind them. "Did I miss something?" he asked.

"Oh, no," replied Caitlin who was trying to control her laughter. "Just girl talk."

Hawke smiled. "I can see I'm going to be outnumbered this week."

Caitlin drove as they headed out to the lake house to meet the others. Hawke sat beside her and rested his hand on her knee. Stacey smiled as she noticed the closeness between the two.

"So, we know what happened all these years with the two of you, Dave, Laura and Louie, but what about Steve and Paul?" Hawked asked.

Stacey spoke up, "Steve married his college sweetheart and they eventually moved to LA where he became a paramedic. Paul is a bit of a wanderer. He always wanted to be a musician and he never really settled down. He just travels from place to place. His parents hear from him about once a month. No one has really seen him in years but his parents said they would tell him about this reunion whenever they spoke with him."

"Did you get a chance to read all of your letters?"Caitlin asked Stacey.

"Yeah, I read them yesterday," she replied. "I knew you were going to ask."

"How could I not?" replied Cait. "Stacey, I didn't know anything about a fight between Dave and Donald that night. Where was I and why didn't anyone tell me?"

"Cait, it was after we all went swimming. We had all gone up to change but Laura lost her bracelet so I went back down there to help her find it," she said. "We heard a lot of yelling but were too far from them to hear exactly what was being said. The only part we heard was the end when they both agreed not to tell you something."

"Tell me what?" asked Caitlin.

Stacey sighed. "I wish I knew," she said. "That's all we heard. They seemed fine after the argument and then we all had that bonfire. I wrote it in the letter because I always wondered what it was about but I never thought it could have anything to do with Donald's death. I didn't tell you because I knew you were planning on ending it with him soon and I thought it was best to leave it alone."

"So I guess Dave is going to have to be the one to answer that," said Hawke.

"Well, were almost there," said Caitlin. "It's just a few miles up the road."

"What's this lake house like?" String asked.

"It's just a ranch style house that sits about fifty yards from a large lake. They added three extra bedrooms in the back to allow for large groups or families to rent it out," replied Stacey. "I'm not sure how it looks now but there use to be a huge gazebo in the back and a fire pit."

"Are there any other houses nearby?" asked Hawke.

"There are about twenty houses that surround the lake," replied Caitlin. "They're all rentals. My parents rent one about every other year."

As they approached the road that let up to the house, Hawke was surprised at the view. "Not as good as my cabin," he thought. "But, this place has some beautiful scenery."

"I can see why they like to rent here," replied Hawke. "Nice place."

Caitlin parked the car and as they all got out, Steve and his wife Debbie greeted them.

"Cait, Stacey!" yelled Steve. "It's great to see you."

Steve hugged them each and introduced them to his wife. In return, Caitlin introduced them to Hawke. They explained that they were the first there and that Dave wouldn't be coming up until later in the evening.

"What about Paul," Stacey asked. "Have you heard if he got the message about us being here this week?"

"No, I haven't" replied Steve. "I'll give his parents a call this afternoon and see if I can find out. Debbie and I just got back from the store. We bought some steaks for dinner."

Debbie smiled at her husband. "Steve has become quite a good cook since working at a fire station. He always manages to pull kitchen duty," she said. "He loves it and was anxious to cook for you all."

"Sounds great," replied Caitlin. "Let us get settled in our rooms and we'll be back out to help."

Stacey followed Cait and String into the house. Hawke carried his and Caitlin's luggage in as she picked a room for them to sleep in. Stacey put her things in the room across the hall and quickly headed back outside to join Steve and Debbie.

Caitlin sat on the bed and watched as Hawke took a long sleeved shirt out of his suitcase.  
"It's getting a little chilly out there," he said. "Did you want your sweater?"

"Oh, no I think I left it on the bar at the cabin," she replied.

Hawke smiled. "I know," he said. "I saw it and threw it in my suitcase on the way out."

He handed it to her, noticing that she seemed suddenly distant. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I was just thinking about Steve," she replied. "He's the same great guy he always was. There's no way he's involved in Donald's death."

"I'll admit, I get a good vibe from him too," said String. "But, if it wasn't him then that just leaves Paul and Dave. Is that what's bothering you?"

Caitlin grabbed String's arm and pulled him towards her. He sat down beside her on the bed and gave her a hug. "Maybe it really was just a suicide," she replied. "If not, I may have to face the fact that Dave could have been involved. That hurts. He was my first love, Hawke. The first man I was ever with."

Hawke put his hand on her chin and forced her to look him in the eyes. "Cait, he may have been your first love, but he's not your last," he said. "I'm hoping that will be me."

Caitlin smiled and put her arms around his neck, pulling him into a kiss. Afterwards she hugged him tightly, not wanting the let go. "Me too," she replied. "Thanks again for coming with me."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

A few hours later the group was sitting around a small fire and enjoying dinner. The weather was slightly cool so Caitlin sat close to String and wrapped her arms around him for warmth. He had one arm around her shoulder. At first, the group talked about the letters and the memories they had of their friend. Then the conversation turned more positive as they all shared more current events in their lives. As the evening was slowly winding down, a car pulled up in front of the house.

"That must be Dave," said Steve.

String felt Caitlin tense up at the comment. He squeezed her shoulder and she turned to look at him. "Are you okay?" he asked."Remember, I'm right here if you need me."

Caitlin smiled at him. "Thanks," she replied. "I'll be okay."

As Dave entered the backyard, the group eagerly greeted him and he was introduced to Steve's wife and String. Caitlin held tight to Hawke's hand as the group talked and sat back down around the fire.

Dave couldn't help but stare at her. "Caitlin, I hope you don't mind me saying this but you look just as beautiful as ever," he said.

Squeezing String's hand, she replied. "Thank you. You haven't changed much yourself."

Caitlin was surprised at how friendly Dave was and how he fit right into the conversations they had been having earlier in the evening. The group kept the conversation light. No one wanted to bring up Donald's death with Dave just yet.

Finally Steve spoke up, "I don't know about you guys but I'm ready to turn in for the night. It's been a long day and we're exhausted."

Stacey yawned. "I agree. I'm tired too."

The group extinguished the fire and everyone headed inside. Dave picked the room on the opposite side of the house across from Steve and his wife.

Once inside their room, Caitlin unpacked her things and pulled the covers down on the bed. String put on a pair of sweatpants and lay down on one side while Caitlin changed. "Hawke," she said. "This place is giving me the creeps. I've felt it all night even before Dave showed up."

"Caitlin, you experienced a pretty traumatic event in your life here," he replied. "It makes sense that being here would make you feel uneasy."

Cait lay down on the bed and snuggled up beside String. "I've been through a lot more traumatic events in my life since then," she replied. "The things I've seen and done since working with you and Dom have been a lot worse."

"Yeah, but you were young and it was more personal," he replied. "I forgot to tell you that I purposely left your letters back at the cabin. I asked Dom to go and get them and have Michael and Marella read them. I also asked Michael to do background checks to find out what everyone here has really been up to."

Caitlin lifted her head and kissed him. "That was a great idea," she replied. "As soon as Paul shows up, we all need to have a serious conversation. Dave is going to have to explain what this secret is that he kept from me."

"Are you sure you want to know?" he asked. "It might not be something you want to hear."

Before Caitlin could respond, they heard a scream coming from the backyard. Everyone ran outside to Stacey who was standing by the fire pit and looking up into the tall tree that stood behind the house.

"Oh my God," said Caitlin.

A mannequin was hanging by its neck from one of the lower branches in the tree. There was a sign attached to him that read "Go home before it's too late!"

String and Steve ran over to the tree and yanked the mannequin down. "Stacey, did you see anyone out here?" Hawke asked.

"No," she replied. "I just came out to get my sweater and it was just there."

"We were just out here ten minutes ago," said Caitlin. "Whoever did this sure didn't wait long."

Steve's wife was shaking as he tried to comfort her. "Why would anyone want us to leave?" she asked.

"It's possible that Donald's death either wasn't a suicide or someone helped to push him over the edge," replied Hawke. "Either way, someone doesn't want us to find out the truth."

"Who could that be?" Dave asked. "Paul's not here yet and we were all inside?"

"Don't worry," replied Hawke. "I have a feeling we'll find out soon enough."

As they all headed back into the house, String whispered to Caitlin, "We need to contact Michael and Dom," he said. "I have a bad feeling about this."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The next morning String contacted Michael and Dom. Archangel informed them of the information they obtained from the background checks on Caitlin's friends. Steve's background was exceptional. He had received three commendations as a paramedic. He and his wife regularly organized food drives for their local community. Dave was found to have recently left a rehab facility for drug use and there was little information on Paul except that he played music in small clubs around the county.

"Thanks for your help, Michael," said String. "I wish we had more to go on. Someone wants us to leave here before we find out the truth about Donald. Beyond Stacey or Cait, I it has to be one of these men."

"We have one more background check to do," said Michael. "Marella suggested looking into Donald's family."

"It definitely can't hurt to check," replied Hawke. "I'll be in touch if anything changes here. Let me know if you find out anything else. I have Dom on standby with Airwolf in case we need him for anything."

When he got off of the phone, Hawke filled Caitlin in on the conversation.

"Hawke, after breakfast, I would like to go and talk with Dave alone," she said. "I need him to tell me what secret he kept from me and I think he'll open up if I don't have you there intimidating him."

"Caitlin, after last night, I'm not sure I like the idea of you being alone with any of them," he replied.

"He's not going to hurt me," she said. "Trust me, it'll be okay. I'll walk down by the lake with him. You'll be able to watch from up here."

Hawke sighed and put his arms around her. "I still don't like it," he said. "But, it might be the only way to get any information on what's going on."

The two met the others for breakfast in the large kitchen that sat towards the front of the house. Stacey had cooked for everyone and the group discussed the events of the previous evening as they ate.

"Look," said Dave. "We can't let someone run us out of here. We are here for Donald and I want to honor his memory in any way possible."

"I agree," said Caitlin. "I know some of you have recreational things you want to do today and that some of you want to wait for Paul, but I really think we should get together for dinner tonight and discuss those letters along everything we remember about that night."

The group agreed. After breakfast, Stacey went fishing with Steve and his wife while Hawke helped Caitlin and Dave clear the table.

"Dave, would you mind taking a walk with me?" asked Caitlin. "I really have a lot of things I want to talk to you about before we meet with the group later."

"I think that would be a good idea," he replied.

The three walked outside to the back of the house and String took a seat by the fire pit. "I'll be back in a little while," she said as she leaned down and kissed him on the lips. "Don't worry," she whispered.

Dave had watched the exchange between Caitlin and Hawke. As they walked down the path towards the lake he couldn't resist asking her about their relationship.

"Are you two really serious?" he asked. "He doesn't seem to want to take his eyes off of you."  
Caitlin laughed. "Yeah, well it's getting there, I guess. We've known each other a long time but this is new for us."

"You're still not the marrying kind?" he asked with a slight tone of bitterness in his voice.

"If' it's the right man," she replied while trying not to sound too harsh.

"I know I wasn't the right one Cait," he said. "I blamed you for a long time but you were right to leave. We were too young and I was a bit too reckless."

"You're right," she replied. "We were too young. Maybe if I'd met you later in life it would have been different."

"Timing sucks,' he replied.

The two reached the lake and sat down on a fallen tree log that sat three feet from the edge of the water. They watched their friends who were out in the middle of the lake fishing.

"Looks like they're having fun," said Caitlin. "It's really great to see everyone again. I just wish it was under better circumstances."

"Me too," he replied. "Everything changed for me that night. My whole world was turned upside down. I don't think I've ever gotten over it."

Catlin placed her hand on his arm. "I know," she said. "It was hard on all of us but I can't imagine how you felt losing your best friend."

Dave went on to explain to Caitlin what he had been doing the years they had been apart including his trip to rehab and how that helped him get his life back on track. Cait was surprised at how honest he was about his past but she still had questions for him.

"Dave, I need to know something about that night," she said.

"I know," he replied. "I read the letters too. You want to know what we were fighting over."

Caitlin stood up and faced the lake with her back to Dave. "Stacey said that you two agreed not to tell me something. What was it?"

Dave took a deep breath before he continued. "Do you remember the girl that Donald took to prom?" he asked. "Her name was Ann."

"Yeah, I think I do," she replied as she turned back around the face him.

"He was in love with her," he said. "She was a bit of a wild thing. I cheated on you with her."

Caitlin was surprised by his confession. "Why? Why would you do that to me and to your best friend?" she asked.

"I was selfish," he replied. "I was young and well, you wouldn't give in to me at the time so I slept with her. But that's not the whole story."

Caitlin shook her head in disbelieve. "Go on," she said.

"She got pregnant," he said. "Donald convinced her to tell her parents it was his. He wanted to marry her. They loved him and they knew he had a bright future. They were very wealthy. They agreed to pay for her to move with him when he left for college."

"If that was all settled then what were you too arguing about?" she asked.

Dave stood up and walked over to where Caitlin was standing. "He thought I should tell you the truth," he replied. "We had a big argument over it because he wanted to tell you. In the end, he agreed to let me tell you in my own time."

"All these years later?" asked Caitlin

"Once you broke up with me, I saw no point in bringing it up," he replied. "Look Cait, I didn't hurt Donald. He was my best friend. I knew he'd never tell you. But, I also don't believe that he would kill himself. He had way too much to live for."

As the conversation was winding down, Steve, his wife and Stacey returned to shore in the small rowboat.

"Back so soon?" asked Dave. "No fish biting?"

"No, I had a really bad headache so we decided to head in," Stacey said. "Sorry to ruin your fun."

Steve smiled. "Don't worry about it," he replied. "Let's go up and see what we can plan for dinner tonight since fish is no longer on the menu."

As the group headed back up to the house Stacey remembered that she forgot her sunglasses in the boat. Caitlin offered to go back down and get them. String watched the group from up by the house. He saw Caitlin head back towards the shore and then disappear from his view behind several tall trees that sat along the edge of the lake.

A few moments later, the group heard a loud scream.

"Caitlin!" yelled Hawke as he ran towards the lake to find her.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Caitlin! Caitlin!" Hawke continued to yell her name as he ran down towards the lake. The others followed closely behind him.

When he got to the edge of the lake, he saw Caitlin laying face down near the water. He quickly ran over and knelt down beside her, turning her over gently. She had a long gash on her arm that was bleeding and a welt was forming on the side of her forehead. Steve came up behind him and checked her for other injuries as the others were careful to stand out of their way.

"Let's get her up to the house," said Steve. "There's a first aid kit under the kitchen sink."

"What is that?" asked Stacey. She pointed to a piece of paper lying a few inches from Catlin.

Dave picked up the paper and read the message out loud. "Next time someone will die. Go home now!"

"We are not going anywhere," said Steve. "This has got to stop."

"Believe me," said Hawke. "Whoever did this is going to regret it."

String's heart was racing as he gently picked Caitlin up in his arms and carried her up to the house. The limpness of her body scared him. "She's so pale," he thought. "Please let her be okay."

Steve followed him in into the bedroom after getting the first aid kit. Hawke eased her down on the bed and moved to the opposite side so that Steve could administer first aid.

Steve examined the cut on her arm."It looks like someone cut her with a knife," he said. "Fortunately, it's superficial. She won't need stitches."

Hawke frowned. "What about her head?" he asked. "Is she going to be alright?

Steve checked both of Caitlin's eyes with a flashlight before answering. "Her pupils are equal and reactive," he replied. "We'll still need to keep an eye on her but I'm sure she'll be fine."

Steve's wife brought in a cool, wet cloth and placed it on Caitlin's forehead. As the paramedic began bandaging Caitlin's arm, the two men worked to coax her back to consciousness.

"Come on Cait," said String. "Wake up sweetheart. I need you to open your eyes for me."

Slowly Caitlin opened her eyes. It took her a few moments to focus and realize where she was at. "Hawke, what happened?" she asked as she started to reach for her wounded arm.

String grabbed her hand to keep her from stopping Steve's progress. He had managed to stop the bleeding and was wrapping a bandage around her arm. The wound throbbed and Caitlin couldn't help but groan from the pain.

"We were going to ask you that," replied Hawke. "Did you see who attacked you?"

Caitlin closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. "Everything is kind of foggy," she replied. "My head hurts."

"Okay, just take it easy," said Hawke. He leaned over and gently repositioned the wet cloth.

Steve gave Caitlin some Ibuprofen for the pain. Hawke helped her sit up and take the medication then eased her head back down on the pillow.

"Hawke, I don't think she has a concussion. If so, it's mild. It's best that she stays in bed and rests until morning," said Steve. "I won't be concerned unless she becomes nauseated."

"I'm okay," Caitlin finally spoke up. "I just feel so stupid for letting him surprise me like that."  
"He?" asked Hawke. "It was a man?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure," she replied. "It happened so fast and he was wearing a mask."

"Exactly what happened Cait?" asked String.

Caitlin closed her eyes and tried to recall the incident. "I went back down to the lake to get Stacey's sunglasses for her. Just before I got to the boat, someone grabbed my arm," she said. "I saw and felt a knife slice against my skin. That's when I screamed. The last thing I remember is him lifting the knife up and plunging the butt of it towards my head."

"Thank God whoever did this didn't want to kill you," said Steve.

"You're right," said Hawke. "But I'm afraid it's getting more dangerous."

"I refuse to let anyone run us off," said Steve. "I'm going out to start the grill. I'll bring you both something to eat when it's done. I'm assuming you'll want to stay with her."

String smiled. "Yeah, I don't plan on leaving her side until we're out of here."

After Steve left the room, Hawke laid down on the bed beside Caitlin. She reached over and took his hand in hers.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked quietly. "You gave me one hell of a scare."

"Yeah," she said quietly. "I'm just….really…tired."

Caitlin drifted off to sleep. String leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. He stayed by her side until she woke up a few hours later.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

When Caitlin woke up, her headache was subsiding and she was starting to feel better with the exception of the slight throbbing sensation in her arm. String had fallen asleep beside her. She turned and watched him as he snored lightly. She smiled and thought to herself, "My bodyguard. How did I get so lucky?"

Steve knocked on the door and awakened Hawke. "Sorry to intrude but I brought you both something to eat," he said. "How are you feeling Caitlin?"

Caitlin sat up on her elbows in the bed. "I feel a lot better," she replied. "At least my head does. My arm is a little sore."

Hawke got up out of bed and took the tray of food from Steve. "Thanks," he said. "How is everyone out there doing?"

Steve sighed. "Everyone is on edge but we've discussed the things that have happened since we got here and no one wants to leave," he replied. "We're sticking this out until we find out the truth."

"I have a feeling we're going to find out soon enough," String replied. "Tell everyone to stick together. No one should go off alone until we find out what's going on."

"Okay," said Steve. "I agree. I'm going back out. Let me know if you need anything else."

After Steve left, String helped Caitlin sit up against the headboard of the bed and gave her one of the burgers that he had brought them.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm actually starving," she replied.

String smiled. It was a relief to see her sitting up and hungry. He had been so worried about her.

After they ate, Caitlin filled Hawke in on the conversation she had with Dave and his explanation of the argument between him and Donald.

"Hawke, maybe I'm wrong but I just don't think Dave had anything to do with Donald's death," she said. "They were best friends. I don't think Donald was going to tell me anything and he was actually helping Dave by marrying that girl. It took all the responsibility away from him. There was no reason for Dave to kill him."

"I've been giving this all a lot of thought. I've also noticed quite a few things about the others since we've been here," Hawke replied. "He seems to be the logical suspect but I'm not totally sure he's the one involved either."

"That doesn't leave too many other suspects," said Caitlin. "Paul may not be here but what if he's out there doing all of this? I remember him as being an easy going and fun guy. If he's involved in this, I'm not sure why."

"Before I took my nap with you I called Michael and filled him in on what happened," said Hawke. "I asked him to do some further research into Paul's recent whereabouts. Steve mentioned that Donald had an older sister. I'm having Michael check on information about her as well."

"I forgot that Donald had an older sister," replied Caitlin.

"I also called Dom," he said. "He's on his way with the Lady. I have a strong feeling we're going to need her. He's going to keep out of site for now. I've asked him to monitor the air space around the lake."

"Why?" Caitlin asked.

String sat on the side of the bed and took Caitlin's hands in his. "Caitlin, I need you to trust me on this one," he said. "I don't want to tell you my thoughts on this until I'm totally sure."

Caitlin looked into his eyes. She could see that he was worried about how she was going to react to finding out the truth.

"Hawke, I do trust you. I realize that knowing the truth about that night might be painful," she replied. "These are all my friends. I care about them. But, the only way any of us will have true closer is to find out what really happened."

String pulled her close and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry that you have had to go through all of this. I'm glad you let me come with you," he said.

Caitlin squeezed him tightly before pulling out of the hug and kissing him. "I love you," she said. "No matter what happens here I am so happy that I have you in my life."

String kissed her again and held her. "I love you too," he replied.

A moment later, Stacey knocked on the door and slowly opened it to see the two in each other's arms. "Sorry to interrupt," she said. "Hawke, you have a phone call."

"Thanks," he replied. "Would you mind keeping an eye on Cait while I get it?" he asked. "I really don't want her left alone."

Stacey smiled. "Of course," she replied. "I've wanted to talk to her and see how she was doing."

Hawke headed towards the kitchen where the only phone in the house was kept. He hoped that it was Michael with some information.

Stacey sat down on the bed beside Caitlin. "Well, you sure look a lot better," she said. "I am so sorry about this. I feel like it's my fault."

"How in the world is it your fault?" asked Caitlin. "You didn't do this to me."

"Caitlin, if I hadn't been so absent minded and forgotten my sunglasses you wouldn't have gone down there," she replied.

"It's not your fault," Caitlin reiterated. "But, you have been a little forgetful lately."

"Oh my gosh," said Caitlin as she leaned back against the headboard of the bed and closed her eyes.

"Caitlin, what is it? Are you okay?" asked Stacey. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine," replied Caitlin. "It's just that my headache is starting to come back. I think I may need some more Ibuprofen."

"Do you want me to go and get you some?" Stacey asked.

"Yeah, as soon as Hawke gets back," she replied. "He'll have a heart attack if you leave me here alone."

"Who's calling him anyway?" asked Stacey.

"Oh, I'm sure it's just Dom," Caitlin lied. "They're working on a movie stunt next week and Hawke promised he'd be available to consult."

Meanwhile Hawke was relieved to be able to take the call in private. "What'd you find out Michael?" he asked.

Michael relayed the information that Marella was able to find. Hawke was shocked at the findings although he already had his suspicions.

"Are you sure Michael?" he asked. "This is going to be really tough on Caitlin."

"Do you want me there?" asked Michael.

"Yes," replied Hawke. "I also need to you to contact Dom. Tell him that I need him here immediately. If what you say is true, I have a feeling we are about to get some company."


	9. Chapter 9

_Okay, this is the one you've waited for. Did you guess who did it? One more chapter to go after this to wrap it all up. :o)_

Chapter 9

Hawke went back to the bedroom to check on Caitlin. He was concerned when he saw her. She was still sitting up against the headboard of the bed with her eyes closed.

Stacey stood up when he entered the room. "Cait, do you want me to go and get that Ibuprofen now?" She asked.

Caitlin opened her eyes and looked up at Hawke. "Yeah, if you don't mind," she replied. "My head is really starting to hurt again."

String sat down beside her and placed one hand on the side of her face. Caitlin could see he was concerned but she waited until Stacey was out of the room to speak.

"Hawke, I'm okay," she said. "I was just trying to keep Stacey from barging in on your phone call."

Relieved, Hawke leaned in and kissed her. "Smart girl," he replied. "But, how's your arm?"

"It's still pretty sore," she replied.

"Well, the Ibuprofen should take care of that," he said. "I know Steve's a great paramedic but I really think you should have a doctor look at that when we leave here."

"I promise I will if you promise to quit worrying about me," replied Caitlin.

String smiled. "I don't know if I can promise, but I will try," he said.

A few minutes later Steve came into the room with the pills. "Stacey said you needed these," he said. "I figured I'd bring them in so I can check you out and see how you're doing."

Caitlin started to object but decided to go ahead and let Steve take care of her. He removed her bandages and checked her cut. "No infection," he said. "Looks like it'll heal fine."

Next he checked her pupils to make sure that there was no onset of a concussion. "Everything looks great," he said. "I was concerned since Stacey said you had another headache."

"Steve, can you do me a favor?" asked Hawke.

"Sure, what is it?" Steve asked.

"I need to run an important errand," replied Hawke. "Would you please keep a close watch on Caitlin while I'm gone?"

"Hawke, I don't need a babysitter," said Caitlin.

Sting took her hand in his and squeezed it. "Please, just humor me, okay?" he asked. "It'll keep me from worrying."

"I'm surprised you need to leave too," said Steve. "Stacey just left and said she needed to run some errands because Caitlin needed a few things."

String and Caitlin looked at each other but neither responded.

"Steve, I'll be back soon. If you see any type of aircraft over the lake, get everyone together and take cover under the trees behind the house," said String.

Steve shot Hawke a strange look. "You think someone's going to attack us from the air next?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure of it," replied String. "I have a friend who's going to help me stop them."

"Them?" asked Caitlin as she slowly got up from the bed.

"Trust me Cait," replied String. "I'll explain it all later."

Steve steadied Caitlin as they followed Hawke out of the house. Cait took a seat out by the fire pit with Dave and Steve's wife while Hawke took the rental car and headed out to meet up with Dom and Airwolf.

String met Dom in a clearing about two miles from the lake. He quickly took over as pilot and lifted her into the air.

"Thanks for coming so quickly," said String.

"No problem," replied Dom. "How's our girl doing?"

"She going to be fine," said String. "I hated leaving her behind but this is going to be hard enough on her as it is. Whatever we do Dom, we have to try our best to talk him down. As mad as I am at him for hurting Cait, it will be worse if we kill him."

Back at the lake house, Caitlin and the others had been quietly talking by the fire. The sun was starting to go down and a chill was forming in the air.

Caitlin shivered. Dave picked up a blanket that was lying across one of the chairs and put it around her shoulders.

"Thanks," she said, giving him a partial smile.

"Anytime," he replied.

Suddenly Caitlin heard the sound of aircraft. "I hear two helicopters," she told the others. "I think we need to go for cover."

Dave put his arm around Caitlin as the four quickly ran under the tree covering behind the house. "What's going on Cait?" he asked.

"I think we're about to find out," she replied.

Hawke flew Airworlf towards the lake. As soon as the house was in sight, he saw the other helicopter coming towards them.

"There he is," said Hawke.

Dom turned on the outer speaker and Hawke spoke to the other pilot. "Set her down now," he instructed.

The pilot ignored the command and fired on the area that Caitlin and the others had been sitting.

"I wouldn't do that again," said Hawke. "We have you out powered and I can assure you I can out maneuver you. Set her down by the lake now or I promise you that you will not make it out of here alive."

The other pilot gave in and set his helicopter down on the sand by the lake. Hawke followed and did the same with Airwolf. String and Dom quickly got out and ran over to the other aircraft.

The pilot got out and stood quietly as the others ran down to the lake.

"Paul!" yelled Dave. "What the hell were you doing? Why were you trying to kill us?"

"I don't believe this," said Steve. "What's going on here Paul?"

Paul stood quiet for a moment before answering. "I swear," he said. "I wasn't trying to kill anyone. I was just trying to scare you off."

"Why?" asked Caitlin. "Why would you do that? Did you have something to do with Donald's death?"

Hawke walked up to her and put his arm around her waist. "He didn't have anything to do with his death but he knows who does," said String.

"Who?" Dave asked.

Before anyone could answer they all saw the headlights of a car. Michael and Marella got out and escorted a hostile Stacey down towards the group.

"Hawke, I think this is who you were looking for," said Michael. "Good thing you put that tracking beacon on her car or she might have been on her way to Mexico by now."

Caitlin felt her legs go weak. Hawke held her tightly. "I'm sorry Caitlin," he said softly. "Stacey is behind all of this. She was using Paul to do all the dirty work."

"Stacey, why?" asked Caitlin. "Why did you do all this?"

Stacey began to break down and cry. "I'm so sorry Caitlin," she said while sobbing. "You weren't supposed to be the one to go back for my sunglasses. I thought Dave would go and get them. I never meant for you to get hurt."

"Her constant forgetfulness is what tipped me off to her in the first place," said Hawke. "It was all too convenient. She was the one who found Donald and she found the mannequin."

"So you killed Donald?" asked Dave.

"I was only seventeen," replied Stacey. "I didn't think. We were playing around in the tree that night after everyone went to bed. He had tied the rope and was practicing to see how far out he could swing. He was planning to challenge the guys the next day and he wanted to make sure he was good at it."

"How did you manage to get the rope around his neck?" asked Steve.

"Donald was horsing around and he thought it would be funny to scare me by putting the rope around his neck and pretending to fall. I was angry. I was upset because I heard him say he was going to marry that girl. I loved him and he picked some tramp over me," she continued. "So, as he was joking around, I shocked him by just pushing him off the branch. I think he died instantly."

Caitlin couldn't stop the stream of tears that covered her face.

"Paul's been spending a lot of time in Florida," said Hawke. "They met up about six months ago and have been secretly seeing each other ever since."

Paul spoke up in his defense. "I didn't know that she killed him until a few weeks ago," he said. I felt bad for her. I just wanted to help her."

Caitlin was furious. "How could you feel bad for her?" she asked. "I'm her cousin and I can't feel bad for her!"

Cait pulled away from String and ran back up to the house. She needed to get away from everyone. She was so upset she couldn't think straight. "I don't believe this is happening," she thought.

Hawke started to follow her but Dom stopped him. "Give her a little time String," he said.


	10. Chapter 10

_Thanks for reading and reviewing. I guess I've watched a lot of Castle and it always seems to be the one you least expect. That's what I was trying for anyway._

Chapter 10

Two weeks later….

Hawke sat on the front porch of his cabin waiting for Caitlin to return. She had stayed behind in Texas to spend time with her family. He had wanted to stay with her but he knew that giving her space to deal with what had happened would be best for both of them.

He watched as she set the helicopter down on the peer with ease. She climbed out and then grabbed her suitcase before heading towards the cabin. He smiled at her as she approached him and waited for her to speak first. Instead, she dropped her suitcase on the ground and ran to him, nearly jumping into his arms. He held her tight and kissed her.

"I'm glad you're home," he said. "I've missed you."

"I missed you too," she replied. "It feels good to be back."

Hawke escorted her into the cabin. "Have you had dinner yet?" he asked. "I made pasta and I was thinking about opening a bottle of wine."

"No, I haven't," she replied. "That sounds great."

"Okay, you go up and unpack, change into something more comfortable and I'll fix us a plate," he said.

Caitlin went up stairs and unpacked her things. She changed into a pair of sweat pants and a tank top before heading back down for dinner.

Sting had set them up a little picnic in the middle of the living room with pasta, bread, and wine. It looked and smelled so good but Caitlin couldn't take her eyes off of Hawke. She smiled as she sat down to join him.

"Wow, what did I do to deserve this?" she asked.

Hawke leaned over and kissed her before responding. "Oh, I just did it because I love you," he said. "I'd do anything for you. I hope you know that."

"I know," she replied. "I want you to know that I really appreciated you going to Texas with me."

"I'm sorry that it didn't turn out well," he said. "I know it's been hard on you and your family."

Caitlin was quiet for a moment before responding. "It has been. I guess it's still a bit of a shock," she said. "Stacey ruined two lives that night because she acted without thinking."

"I'm surprised she was able to keep it to herself all these years," said Hawke.

"The crazy thing is that if she hadn't pulled all those stupid stunts at the cabin we would have never known," said Caitlin. "There was no way we could have figured out that she was there with him."

"So why all the dramatics with the mannequin and the attack on you?" asked Hawke.

Caitlin sighed. "I spoke to her briefly and asked her the same thing," she said. "All these years it had been eating away at her. She said that deep down she really wanted to be caught. She wanted it to all be over with but she couldn't bring herself to just come out and tell the truth."

"It sure would have been a lot easier if she had,' he replied.

After they finished their pasta, String picked up the dishes and refilled their wine glasses before sitting back down beside her on the floor.

"I think I have a way to help take your mind off of all this," said String. "Care to take this upstairs?"

Caitlin smiled."I thought you'd never ask," she replied.

Hawke stood before helping Caitlin to her feet. He took her hand and led her upstairs to the bedroom.


End file.
